The Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law released a new research study last week analyzing the economic gains that same-sex couples’ weddings would bring to New Jersey. Presently California stands as the sole recipient of the same-sex tourism and wedding windfall; if New Jersey extended marriage to same-sex couples it could share in that windfall. Massachusetts can’t benefit as current laws prohibit the state from performing same-sex weddings for out-of-state couples.

The New Jersey wedding industry will receive a substantial $248 million boost in direct spending by same-sex couples over the next three years. The study predicts that, based on the experience of Massachusetts, half of New Jerseys 21,178 same-sex couples will want to marry, leading to 10,589 weddings. Another 45,831 out-of-state couples are likely to travel to New Jersey to marry. This economic lift will also likely generate over 800 new jobs in the state.

“In a tough economic climate, marriage can directly benefit the New Jersey budget in a direct, tangible, and substantial way,” explains economist M.V. Lee Badgett, co-author of the study and research director of The Williams Institute.

For more information go to www.law.ucla.edu/williamsinstitute.